Hydromechanical behaviour of an unsaturated Algiers clay

This article presents the results of the volumetric behaviour of an Algiers clayey soil. An experimental work was carried out both in situ (core drilling; pressuremeter testing) and in the laboratory (drying–wetting and oedometric tests). Drying–wetting paths of soil samples were obtained using vapour equilibrium method and osmotic technique. These suction-controlled methods have gained widespread acceptance as reliable methods for imposing suction on soil specimens. They allowed for tests to be performed in the range of suction comprised between 0 and 300 MPa. The ability to impose suction on soil specimens allows for drying and wetting stress paths to be imposed to evaluate resulting changes in void ratio, degree of saturation and water content. These paths were explored at different initial states of clay. Slurries of soil were used to characterise the reference behaviour, whereas undisturbed soil samples allow characterising the material under in situ conditions.